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30 CFR § 75.312 Main mine fan examinations and records.
(a) To assure electrical and mechanical reliability of main mine fans,
each main mine fan and its associated components, including devices for
measuring or recording mine ventilation pressure, shall be examined for
proper operation by a trained person designated by the operator.
Examinations of main mine fans shall be made at least once each day that the
fan operates, unless a fan monitoring system is used. No examination is
required on any day when no one, including certified persons, goes
underground, except that an examination shall be completed prior to anyone
entering the mine.
(b) If a main mine fan monitoring system is used, a trained person
designated by the operator shall--
(i) At least once each day review the data provided by the fan
monitoring system to assure that the fan and the fan monitoring system are
operating properly. No review is required on any day when no one, including
certified persons, goes underground, except that a review of the data shall
be performed prior to anyone entering the underground portion of the mine.
Data reviewed should include the fan pressure, bearing temperature,
revolutions per minute, vibration, electric voltage, and amperage; and
(ii) At least every 7 days--
(A) Test the monitoring system for proper operation; and
(B) Examine each main mine fan and its associated components to
assure electrical and mechanical reliability of main mine fans.
(2) If the monitoring system malfunctions, the malfunction shall be
corrected, or paragraph (a) of this section shall apply.
(c) At least every 31 days, the automatic fan signal device for each main
mine fan shall be tested by stopping the fan. Only persons necessary to
evaluate the effect of the fan stoppage or restart, or to perform maintenance
or repair work that cannot otherwise be made while the fan is operating,
shall be permitted underground. Notwithstanding the requirement of
§75.311(b)(3), underground power may remain
energized during this test provided no one, including persons identified in
§75.311(b)(1), is underground. If the fan is
not restarted within 15 minutes, underground power shall be deenergized and
no one shall enter any underground area of the mine until the fan is
restarted and an examination of the mine is conducted as described in
§75.360(b) through (e) and the mine has been
determined to be safe.
(d) At least every 31 days, the automatic closing doors in multiple main
mine fan systems shall be tested by stopping the fan. Only persons necessary
to evaluate the effect of the fan stoppage or restart, or to perform
maintenance or repair work that cannot otherwise be made while the fan is
operating, shall be permitted underground. Notwithstanding the provisions of
§75.311, underground power may remain energized
during this test provided no one, including persons identified in
§75.311(b)(1), is underground. If the fan is
not restarted within 15 minutes, underground power shall be deenergized and
no one shall enter any underground area of the mine, until the fan is
restarted and an examination of the mine is conducted as described in
§75.360(b) through (e) and the mine has been
determined to be safe.
(e) Circular main mine fan pressure recording charts shall be changed
before the beginning of a second revolution.
(f) Certification. Persons making main mine fan
examinations shall certify by initials and date at the fan or another
location specified by the operator that the examinations were made. Each
certification shall identify the main mine fan examined.
(2) Persons reviewing data produced by a main mine fan monitoring
system shall certify by initials and date on a printed copy of the data from
the system that the review was completed. In lieu of certification on a copy
of the data, the person reviewing the data may certify electronically that
the review was completed. Electronic certification shall be by handwritten
initials and date in a computer system so as to be secure and not
susceptible to alteration.
(g) Recordkeeping. By the end of the shift on which the
examination is made, persons making main mine fan examinations shall record
all uncorrected defects that may affect the operation of the fan that are
not corrected by the end of that shift. Records shall be maintained in a
secure book that is not susceptible to alteration or electronically in a
computer system so as to be secure and not susceptible to alteration.
(2) When a fan monitoring system is used in lieu of the daily fan
examination--
(i) The certified copies of data produced by fan monitoring systems
shall be maintained separate from other computer-generated reports or data;
and
(ii) A record shall be made of any fan monitoring system
malfunctions, electrical or mechanical deficiencies in the monitoring system
and any sudden increase or loss in mine ventilating pressure. The record
shall be made by the end of the shift on which the review of the data is
completed and shall be maintained in a secure book that is not susceptible
to alteration or electronically in a computer system so as to be secure and
not susceptible to alteration.
(3) By the end of the shift on which the monthly test of the automatic
fan signal device or the automatic closing doors is completed, persons making
these tests shall record the results of the tests. Records shall be
maintained in a secure book that is not susceptible to alteration or
electronically in a computer system so as to be secure and not susceptible to
alteration. (h) Retention period. Records, including records of mine fan pressure and the certified copies of data produced by fan monitoring systems, shall be retained at a surface location at the mine for at least 1 year and shall be made available for inspection by authorized representatives of the Secretary and the representative of miners. |
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